The present invention relates, in general, to integrated receivers/decoders for receiving digital and analog television signals and, more specifically, to integrated receivers/decoders that are configured to provide two independent signals for display on two television receivers.
A typical integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) may be compatible with high definition (HD) monitors, digital television (DTV) and standard analog NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) television. Typical reception capabilities of an IRD may include standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) satellite streams, standard analog cable, NTSC terrestrial and ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) terrestrial streams.
The IRD typically receives an RF (radio frequency) signal by using a different tuner for satellite reception and terrestrial reception. Next, a demodulator extracts the signal from the RF carrier and sends it to a decoder. Digital signals are send as transport streams to the decoder. One known decoder, such as the Sti5514 integrated circuit manufactured by ST Microelectronics, Geneva, Switzerland, may process multiple transport streams from different sources. For example, two satellite streams from two independent tuners may be processed by the decoder, or one satellite stream and one ATSC stream may be processed. The Sti5514 may decode up to three transport streams simultaneously.
Under normal operation, one transport stream is decoded and separated into one video signal and one audio signal for viewing on a monitor or television display. Since typically the television is located in the same room as the IRD, a satellite TV subscriber may view the received signal in the same room. In case the subscriber wishes to watch television at a second location, two choices are available. First, the output signal from the IRD may be sent via cable to the second location for viewing. A disadvantage of this method is that both viewing locations must watch the same channel. Another available choice is to purchase a second IRD and install it at the second location. This choice, however, also requires installing coaxial cable from the satellite dish to the second location.
As both choices have shortcomings, a need exists to provide an IRD that is configured to provide two independent signals for viewing on two television displays located at different locations.
To meet this and other needs, and in view of its purposes, the present invention is directed to an integrated receiver/decoder, disposed at a local location. The integrated receiver/decoder includes at least one tuner for receiving and demodulating at least first and second transmitted digital television signals. Also included is a transport decoder, which is responsive to the demodulated digital television signals, and provides first and second digital television bit-streams. Also included is a first digital television decoder, which is responsive to the first digital television bit-stream, and provides first audio and video signals to a first display device. Also included is a second digital television decoder, which is responsive to the second digital television bit-stream, and provides a baseband television signal. A local transmitter, which modulates a carrier signal with the baseband television signal, transmits the modulated carrier signal to a remote location.
A remote receiver, at the remote location, recovers the baseband television signal from the modulated carrier signal and provides the recovered signal for viewing on a remote display, which is co-located with the remote receiver.
The integrated receiver/decoder may be controlled by two independent viewers. One viewer uses a remote control transmitter, at the remote location, to control the integrated receiver/decoder. Another viewer uses another remote control transmitter, preferably an infrared transmitter, to control the integrated receiver/decoder. In this manner, two independent signals may be displayed on two separate displays.
It is understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention.